SUMMARY
It's an AFL dream: Collingwood and Richmond firing and facing off in front of a packed house at the MCG. The Tigers are atop the AFL ladder for the first time in a home and away season since 1995, and if they win this one they'll have claimed a club record of 12 successive victories at the MCG, passing a record set in 1974-75. The AFL's pressure kings will subject the handball-happy Magpies to their sternest test yet. The Pies have also won their past three games, and have claimed the scalps of Adelaide and Essendon in the past fortnight, to rocket into fifth spot. The midfield battle is mouth-watering – Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and co. versus Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Adam Treloar. Raw Pies big man Mason Cox has found some form and might well ask questions of Alex Rance and David Astbury.
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Sunday, April 29, 3.20pm AEST
TV, RADIO AND BETTING: Click here for broadcast guide
LAST FIVE TIMES
R2, 2017, Richmond 14.15 (99) d Collingwood 11.14 (80) at the MCG
R20, 2016, Richmond 14.8 (92) d Collingwood 11.11 (77) at the MCG
R2, 2016, Collingwood 13.9 (87) d Richmond 12.14 (86) at the MCG
R21, 2015, Richmond 23.9 (147) d Collingwood 7.14 (56) at the MCG
R7, 2015, Richmond 16.9 (105) d Collingwood 15.10 (100) at the MCG
THE SIX POINTS
1. The victor will take extra bragging rights, given this will be their 71st clash at the MCG and the ledger is all square at 35 apiece.
2. Richmond has won four of its past five games against Collingwood. In this period the only margin above 19 points was the Tigers' 91-point victory in round 21, 2015.
3. Collingwood is aiming to post four consecutive wins for the first time since round 11, 2015. In the Pies' most recent games against Adelaide and Essendon, they tallied a combined 30 goals while holding their opponents to just 16 goals.
4. The Tigers' past fortnight has also been dominant, increasing their percentage from 100.9 per cent to 137.8 per cent after tallying 31 goals to 10 against Brisbane and Melbourne.
5. Both teams create many scoring opportunities, with the Tigers equal best for forward entries (57.6 a game) and the Magpies sixth (55.4).
6. According to the Schick Hydro Player Ratings, Collingwood boasts more star quality. Six Magpies are among the top 65 players compared to Richmond's four.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Adam Treloar won the Anzac Day Medal and he'll be pumped up to produce a decent encore performance against Richmond. Treloar will perhaps never live down revealing he chose to join Collingwood over Richmond because he felt the Pies were closer to a premiership. This will be the first time the two clubs have met since the Tigers won their drought-breaking flag. Last time they met, Treloar was best-afield with 35 touches and two goals in a losing side.
PREDICTION: Richmond by 19 points
